Find harmony with your hormones

If you’ve waved goodbye to your last birthday with a 3 in front of it, or perhaps a 4 or even a 5, then chances are that you and your friends have had a chat like this: “How come I’m putting on weight when I’m eating exactly the same way I always have?”, “What’s with this spare tyre around my tummy?” and “Why am I so tired and grumpy all the time?”

Knowing hormones are to blame is no real comfort, but, happily, you do have some control over how strongly these hormones affect your mood and weight — and they’re pretty easy to manage. You need make only a few simple lifestyle tweaks to counteract some of the unwelcome effects of fluctuating hormones.

For example, did you know that reducing your consumption of alcohol and caffeine can ease hot flushes? Or that you can get a handle on that tummy tyre (or should that be lose the love handles?!) by ensuring you regularly get enough sleep, stop dieting and make smart, satisfying food choices. (My best-ever swap was ditching my boring lunchtime sandwich for the lentil salad on offer in the canteen where I was working. I was astonished by the amount of extra energy I had, and I no longer craved that sugary pick-me-up at 4pm!)

Which simple swaps will work for you? Find out in the July 2014 issue of Healthy Food Guide magazine, in which w­e show you how to settle those hormone swings with the right foods.